John Jaynes Manns

John Manns was a consultant general physician with a special interest in diabetes and endocrinology at Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester. He was born in the Rhondda Valley, Wales, the son of Ernest Howard Manns, a retail confectioner, and was educated at Ferndale Grammar School. John went to the Welsh National School of Medicine and qualified in 1964.

He chose hospital medicine as a career and undertook junior posts at St David’s Hospital, Sully Hospital and Llandough Hospital in south Wales. He was appointed as a senior registrar at Dundee Royal Infirmary in 1970 and as a senior registrar at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, in 1974.

John was appointed as a consultant physician at Wythenshawe Hospital in 1974 and was one of only three general physicians in a 900-bed hospital. He carried an extremely heavy workload, being on take one day in three and having as many as 45 inpatient beds at any one time. In addition, John developed the endocrinology service and when his senior colleague retired in 1991 he took responsibility for the diabetic service, as well as his existing duties.

John was appointed clinical director of medicine and was keen to establish a diabetic centre at the hospital. He ultimately achieved this despite much outside opposition and it was a tribute to his quiet determination that he saw this project through. John undertook much of his clinical work and research at the centre. The diabetic centre at Wythenshawe Hospital now provides a comprehensive service to its patients and is a lasting memorial to his achievement.

John was appointed divisional director of medicine at Wythenshawe and helped achieve the amalgamation of Withington and Wythenshawe hospitals on the Wythenshawe site. He was an excellent physician. He published on aspects of general medicine and diabetes. He was politically astute and gave wise counsel to colleagues, both senior and junior. Although these were major achievements and contributed to the hospital’s status, John never sought recognition and just saw it ‘all in a day’s work’.

John was a devoted family man and enjoyed his hard earned retirement. He met his future wife Pat Phillips at school and went on to marry her in 1962. They had three children, Simon, Sarah and Rachel, and four grandchildren, Ellie, Sophie, Lucy and Emily. John spent much time with his grandchildren, with whom he would play for hours on end. He loved golf and was a popular member of Ringway Golf Club, where he made many lasting friends. He looked forward to and enjoyed family holidays, both in Scotland and abroad.

John fought his final illness bravely and with dignity. His last days were in St Ann’s Hospice, where his family were greatly comforted by the excellent care he received there.